Padma Shri for Yumnam Jatra Singh rekindles Manipur’s spiritual and cultural legacy

Imphal, Jan 26 (IANS) Manipur’s legendary cultural maestro Yumnam Jatra Singh, who has been posthumously named a recipient of the Padma Shri, has once again drawn national attention to the enduring need to preserve the state’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage.

Expressing gratitude for the honour, Singh’s son, Yumnam Bishambor, said that had his father been alive, he would have been immensely proud and happy to receive the recognition.

Speaking to IANS at his residence in Thangmeiband Leirenhanjaba Leikai, Bishambor said that although his father is no longer present to witness the moment, the family and his students feel a deep sense of pride and fulfilment over the national honour.

“My father dedicated his entire life to art and culture. As his son, I feel extremely proud and thankful. We only wish this recognition had come while he was still alive,” he said.

Yumnam Jatra Singh, from an early age, showed a keen interest in Nata Sankirtana and trained under several eminent gurus. Despite initially being engaged in agricultural work, he remained steadfast in his pursuit of the arts.

He later obtained diplomas in Eshei and Cholom and served as a visiting guru at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA). During his lifetime, he trained numerous students and was an approved artist of All India Radio, Imphal.

In recognition of his immense contribution to the field of art and culture, he had earlier received several prestigious honours, including the Manipur State Kala Akademi Award and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Born on September 10, 1923, at Tengdongyan Awang Leikai in Imphal West district, along National Highway–2, Yumnam Jatra Singh was the son of late Y. Tomba Singh and late Y. (O) Thaballei Devi.

In the late 1970s, he made Thangmeiband Lairenhanjam Leikai his residence, from where he continued to nurture and guide generations of artists. From an early age, Singh displayed unwavering devotion to Nata Sankirtana, a deeply spiritual and ritualistic performing art of Manipur rooted in Vaishnavite traditions.

The art form integrates devotional singing, pung (drumming), kartal (cymbals) and moibung (conch shell), narrating the divine stories of Lord Krishna and Radha as a pathway to spiritual liberation.

Recognising its universal cultural value, UNESCO in 2013 inscribed “Nata Sankirtana” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

To complement his mastery, Singh pursued formal training and earned a Diploma in Eshei from JNMDA in 1976, followed by a Diploma in Cholom in 1980. He was also an approved artist of All India Radio for Nat Eshei, extending his reach to audiences beyond Manipur.

Over a distinguished career spanning more than seven decades, he performed Nata Sankirtana across the country, beginning as early as 1949. His lifelong dedication earned him more than a dozen major honours, including the Manipur State Kala Akademi Award in 2013 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2023. Yumnam Jatra Singh passed away on October 11, 2025, at the age of 102, leaving behind an irreplaceable void in Manipur’s cultural landscape.

–IANS

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